Anthony Roberts MP
Parliamentary Secretary to NSW Liberal Leader, Opposition Waste Watch Chairman
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Waste Watch Anthony Roberts today revealed the Iemma Labor Government has hired more than 100 spin doctors and political hacks whose salaries have totalled nearly $9 million since January this year.
"Morris Iemma could only find $8 million for preschools in this month's State Budget – yet he can find $9 million for spin doctors and policy advisors with the sole aim of getting himself re-elected," Mr Roberts said.
"While the Iemma Labor Government runs down essential frontline services, plenty of money can be found for backroom bureaucrats," he said.
The Liberal/Nationals compiled a list of spin doctors and policy advisors from the advertisements in the Public Sector Notices gazette.
ReplyDelete"The average salary for the bureaucrats is $87,386," Mr Roberts said.
"The gazette reveals Reba Meagher's Department of Community Services has advertised for 17 jobs totalling $831,956.
"Tony Kelly and the Department of Corrective Services have advertised for jobs totalling $655,181, while John Della Bosca hired seven people for the Department Disability and Aged Care paying a total of up to $662,355.
"Treasurer Michael Costa has advertised for five new staff worth $546,172 – that's over $100,000 each.
"There are 215,500 people awaiting dental treatment in the State, many of them in pain, some of them having waited for ten years, and yet the government has allocated $267,090 in the last three months for three new spin doctor and political adviser positions in the Health Department.
"All the Iemma Labor Government is interested in is spin. Fixing the headlines – not the problems.
"Morris Iemma is no different from his mentor Graham Richardson – he will do and say whatever it takes to get re-elected," Mr Roberts said.